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Activities

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Marianthi Arvanitidou - Greece
Avatar of ΜΑΡΙΑΝΘΗ ΑΡΒΑΝΙΤΙΔΟΥ
ΜΑΡΙΑΝΘΗ ΑΡΒΑΝΙΤΙΔΟΥ
4yr
Marianthi Arvanitidou - Greece
Η συνταγή της καλής φιλίας

Θα χρειαστείτε:

100 γραμμάρια αποδοχή

100 γραμμάρια κατανόηση

200 γραμμάρια στήριξη 

60 γραμμάρια γενναιοδωρία

1 φλιτζάνι του τσαγιού εμπιστοσύνη 

3 κουταλιές της σούπας ειλικρίνεια.. 

Εκτέλεση: Ανακατεύουμε απαλά σε ένα μπολ την αποδοχή, την κατανόηση και τη γενναιοδωρία. Ρίχνουμε μέσα τη στήριξη, την ειλικρίνεια και αργά αργά την εμπιστοσύνη. Όταν λιώσουν καλά όλα τα υλικά, τα βάζουμε στο  ταψί και ψήνουμε σε δυνατό φούρνο για αρκετό, αρκετό … καιρό.
4 comments
Avatar of Kalliopi Perri
Kalliopi Perri 4yr
μυρίζει υπέροχα....
Avatar of Sofia Venetopoulou
Sofia Venetopoulou 4yr
Με τέτοια υλικά η επιτυχία είναι σίγουρη!
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Annika Sarkar 6mo
Oh it is very nice, *thank you* !!
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Anonymous 15d
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Since all the refugees in my class (coming from Egypt Ghana Somalia Guinea...) are boys I would organize open field activities like a football match to let them socialize with their classmates. Then I would ask them to play a virtual football match on the computers or tablets so that each ability (phisical or informatic) can be showed. The aim will always be communication since I would ask them to "verbalize" each passage, in this way they will learn some basic words for their age to make them socialize with other students and among them
Avatar of Antonella
Antonella
4yr
Since all the refugees in my class (coming from Egypt Ghana Somalia Guinea...) are boys I would organize open field activities like a football match to let them socialize with their classmates. Then I would ask them to play a virtual football match on the computers or tablets so that each ability (phisical or informatic) can be showed. The aim will always be communication since I would ask them to "verbalize" each passage, in this way they will learn some basic words for their age to make them socialize with other students and among them
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Margherita Italy
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Anonymous
4yr
Margherita Italy
I teach italian language, history and geography. So I would invite my students to find information about their immigrant students' countries and to compare them with our country. So they could understand the different culture from which their friends come.
2 comments
Avatar of Elena Chis
Elena Chis 4yr
An interesting activity
Avatar of Battafarano Rossella
Battafarano Rossella 4yr
Battafarano Rossella
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In my opinion sports games is a good activity for integration newly arrived migrant students with the classroom .
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rosadilonardo
4yr
In my opinion sports games is a good activity for integration newly arrived migrant students with the classroom .
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Joserra-Spain
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Anonymous
4yr
Joserra-Spain
First of all I consider very important to let the new arrived students speak about themselves and their countries. Other pupils find interesting knowing about new countries and culture.
Sport is also a great way to integrate migrants.
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Maria Boukorou, Greece
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MARY BOUKOROU
4yr
Maria Boukorou, Greece
A good exercise in cross-cultural approach to the title (Tom's Fears) which is well known,  will encourage students to think more positively  in school and expand their positive values. A very inspiring initial approach could take place by encouraging them to learn  exercises of approach and touch  and helping them to increase gradually  their voice (and therefore trust) while they are working as members of a team.  

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Federica from Italy
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Anonymous
4yr
Federica from Italy

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imran khan,Bangladesh
Fast i believe our students are very serious about reading nor shouting.I often all of my students can be quite uses study related song,playing game, act, exercise etc.usually thay are felling very joyful.First i want to findout  to my students that they what to do like more.thank you

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Snake is the common name for a video game concept where the player maneuvers a line which grows in length, with the line itself being a primary obstacle. The concept originated in the 1976 arcade game Blockade, and the ease of implementing Snake... Wikipedia

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. Snake is the common name for a video game concept where the player maneuvers a line which grows in length, with the line itself being a primary obstacle. The concept originated in the 1976 arcade game Blockade, and the ease of implementing Snake...

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When my dog needs to go out i take him out when my mom needs help I help her

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I think every students should learn the values of respect, honesty, care , friendship and responsibility  !! yuoi

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LOVE MY SCHOOL (LYRIC VIDEO) APPRECIATION SONG

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Ff

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Working in groups is the best way for children to accept diversity. Tableux vivant is a perfect activity for all children to express themselves and let others know about their fellings

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Working in groups is the best way for children to accept diversity. Tableux vivant is a perfect activity for all children to express themselves and let others know about their fellings

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I have one boy in my class and what he likes more is drawing and painting.
This is when he's really relaxed. He usually doen not like singing, sport or dancing.

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The activity that is very important to prepared the "regular students" is learn the correct name of newly arrived migrants students: is an excellent Erika's suggestion.
I teach Music in junior high school. An activities that I propose in classroom is show folk music instruments from countries of newly arrived migrants students and after the similar classic instruments and then learn (migrant and regular student) the name, the  main characteristics, listen the sound, etc

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Music, dance and play... I think these are the elements for classroom activities.

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We do some activities to get to know each other better, we play names games for example. We also walk through the forest and talk to the pupils individually. We try to form a group, by playing games, but also to form small groups for the language activities, the pupils who know the language better are helping the newly arrived ones.
In the curriculum we have time to play some sports and to take part in art (drawing, painting, working with clay), sewing etc.

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Circle Time, where dialogues about different topics like tolerate, what make me spacial, my special me, what am I proud off, what makes good friendship....where all students are invited to join in creating share meaning and a common denominator .
Art, music ...universal language

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The migrant student in my class work in group with “regular students” the most of the time. I believe in group work to create integration with all the others and to improve the knowledge of the subject sharing ideas with friends

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Music, drawing, dance, play... I think these are the elements for classroom activities. A picture dictionary could be an interesting project for everybody.

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I use to tell them stories or myths with emphasize to differency. Like Aisopos' myths with animals that they have very spesific capabilities to develop.

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Here are some activities we had to learn aspects of the culture of our migrant students:1 – students from the same countries prepared a lesson to teach basic vocabulary of their mother tongue to their classmates;2- students talked about festivals in their countries and a comparison with Italian festivals was made;3- migrant and Italian students interviewed their parents to discover games from the past. Italian and foreign games were compared and a lot of similarities were found. Students realized they have common roots.

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Here are some activities we had to learn aspects of the culture of our migrant students:1 – students from the same countries prepared a lesson to teach basic vocabulary of their mother tongue to their classmates;2- students talked about festivals in their countries and a comparison with Italian festivals was made;3- migrant and Italian students interviewed their parents to discover games from the past. Italian and foreign games were compared and a lot of similarities were found. Students realized they have common roots.

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I especially use visual things or real objects. For example to teach countries and nationalities I told the students wear traditional clothes of countries. So my Syrian student wore according to their traditions. And the lesson was funny and students learned something about other countires' cultures.

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Since I am a teacher of foreign languages, I always use activities where other cultures and traditions are learned through the use of the key language. Therefore, I usually use music and songs from different countries, I deal with typical food, I work on different famous sports, etc. The key aspect is to work on topics that the students are interested in. Probably, newly arrived migrants have suffered more than native students, so they can be more mature than the native ones, but at the end, they are teenagers and I am sure that we, the teachers and all the students, can find common likes and matters they like to know about.

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I use pictures in my classes, especially the smaller ones. For example, the children in groups draw their neighbourhood and write the names of the buildings in English. Refugee students are asked to write the words in Arabic as well.  An introductory activity is to learn to say goodmorning  and thank you in the languages of all my students, as most of my 'regular' students are second generation migrants.

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Learn more about the country of the newly arrived student. Some general information about location, language, tradition and habits.

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food, songs, plays, poetry, some expressions in both languages.

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Edi, ItalySome activities that can be done in the classroom are: reciting rhymes in the local language and then also translate one of them into the language of the migrant students using different media, such as computers with Internet access; writing the name of the school things in Italian and in the language spoken by the foreign students…

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Edi, ItalySome activities that can be done in the classroom are: reciting rhymes in the local language and then also translate one of them into the language of the migrant students using different media, such as computers with Internet access; writing the name of the school things in Italian and in the language spoken by the foreign students…

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1. Traditional national games. Playing together mutual national kids games.,
2. Singing  songs together. Maybe  a choro.
3. Painting. painting a ideal, imaginary world.

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I´m thinking about asking something to "the portuguese students" like to ask them to write a word or an action associated with an illustrative picture. The goal would be to create a dictionary of images that would later be represented through a small theater.

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I’m thinking about developing a visual arts program to assist students to develop skills in visual arts and self-expression. The students will be able to express their emotions and develop emotional resilience through visual arts as well as developing language and literacy skills, and independent work and learning habits. Then it can be held a creative art and writing exhibition where refugee students can proudly display their artwork and demonstrate that they have a message to communicate about the past, present and future. The project exhibition will illustrate the students' stories of displacement, abandonment and fear, expressions of hope, love and prosperity. Students’ work can include a variety of media including digital photography, painting, collage, multimedia stories, sculpture, capturing the theme of the exhibition of resilience and hope.

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traditional dances and games, painting, mutual teaching, school and field trips.

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Create a word cloud with the names of all the children in the class including NAM

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Make a poster together for a well-known topic, role playing games and sport games. My students are very excited with posters as they find a way to suprise me and show me their skills and how they have grown up. So both regular and immigrant students can learn, participate and have fun!!!

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Make a poster together for a well-known topic, role playing games and sport games. My students are very excited with posters as they find a way to suprise me and show me their skills and how they have grown up. So both regular and immigrant students can learn, participate and have fun!!!

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teach other children about the refugy country

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I think the use of a lot of audiovisual material  can better support the classroom activities and make them better understand what we are talking about.Also the competitions to show their hobbies and skills like dancing or music competition,theater,painting exhibition ,sport s games,trips can support them a lot.

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Classroom activities to support newly arrived migrant students

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Classroom activities to support newly arrived migrant students

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To motivate and involve all the children often I adopt teaching strategies such as role-playing games, flashcards, games; Wordle-Cloude, songs, rhymes, poems, theater; maps; paint of teaching strategies. They are valid for all children and, therefore, also for immigrant children.

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Native Net gives language online classes from arabic and farsi to

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I think it's very important to make NAMs feel welcome and we should have learnt to pronounce their name right. An activity we could do is every student to share with others "the story of his name". The teacher should give the example in order to learn more about each other.

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I think that the cooperative approach will be the most interesting activity to do. It is very important to make refugee student feel as a part of a group. Sport is very useful for this purpose but how Erika says we must pay attention to their customs and usage: she says that maybe boys cannot shake hands with girl because this is forbidden to them by religion. We must respect their believes and traditions and try to integrate them slowly. Maybe it could be also necessary to teach younger students the basic life skills in addiction to the rules of western society

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Good ideas!

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I think that the best way at the beginning is to make NAMs feel at home, by learning some words in hiw language, play some sport games, doing some crafts together, showing him beautiful pictures and also practice with some yoga relaxation activities. as far as native students they should be prepared in advance in order to welcome the new student and make him feel accepted inside the group by sharing with him a small gift, or by painting for him and give it to him as a present by learning some wordw in his language etc.

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I think that audiovisual material would be a great option because they don´t need to try to answer question of the time.

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Audiovisual material along with group work is the optimal way to make NAMs feel secure and consider themselves parts of a larger group. Personally, within the framework of multiculturalism and being aware of the fact that my students prefer not only constructing things but also cooperating as a team, I once had all learners (including immigrants and not refugees) watch some mini videos depicting exhilarating trips around the world made by a single man http://www.tourism-biodiversity.com/tag/tourism/page/2/ (containing three distinct video clips). These videos focused on jobs, food, dance, music, craftsmanship and human relationships, capturing what I wanted: the real essence of diversity around the world in a really short time. Then, we moved on by saying common phrases or spare words, such as  Italy, pizza! England, park!... which were easy to refer to and bring to mind.
This has also been a nice opportunity to develop their interpersonal, cooperative as well as their instrumental skills,while learning was made fun!

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As a kindergarten teacher I think telling educational stories, role playing and physycal exercises games are a good examples for activities.

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I propose a workshop based on the philosophical dialogue in accordance with the methodology of Philosophy for children of Matthew Lipman. A series of meetings where students, in a circle, discuss topics of their choice that have philosophical interest. Through dialogue led by a facilitator will learn to listen, respect, the formulation of judgments made on the logic of good reasons.

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Classroom activities:
Filmmaking / Animation film
Dancing competition
Theater / pantomime
Painting Exhibition
Sport s
Excursions (nature, buildings, local professionals)
Visiting hospital to offer Christmas Cards
Cooking lessons
Cleaning/ Hygiene courses
Practical lessons (ex. how to tie my laces etc)

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Pupils work in groups.
Migrants pupils have joined to groups where there are greek pupils too so they feel eagal and part of the team.We will organise a kind of Food festival where children will cook foods taken from their countries.This way children learn from each other and come closer.

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An idea that I would like to make to make the students find themselves in a cozy climate, is to make in the classroom of new technologies a video conference with their classroom of the school of their country. We would fulfill several objectives like to know more, to create a familiar atmosphere and to facilitate space and time of sharing.

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As a physical education teacher, I usually prepare games in groups to facilitate the integration and interaction among our pupils. At the beginning of the course, I suggest them to play to games from different countries and at the end of the course they prepare a festival with dances from all over the world, especially from our pupils, countries.

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I think that theatre and story tails are the best way to integrate children because you use game and fun together and the children have a unique way to understand and colaborate between them.

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One activity that was very interesting was a play we made based on  a Native American Legend: "The Story of the Rainbow" , a beautiful story about diversity and the importance of each and everyone of us no matter how different we may be, we are all important! It's also about learning how to make peace.
From the costumes to the scenario and representation was all done with the children's collaboration. As we work with multilingual students it was a good opportunity for children to participate with the language peers they felt more confident with.
http://www.musingsbylizzytish.com/otm/RainbowLegend.html
In Portuguese:
http://www.recantodasletras.com.br/contossurreais/1755603

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a theater activity or musical event or sport team with  "mixted" parteciation of students would be for me a good idea..to facilitate integration and acceptance

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Share at least one concrete ideas for classroom activities :storytelling

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Share at least one concrete ideas for classroom activities :storytelling

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sing a traditional song of our countries or invite parents to narrate a traditional fairy tale or a fable and then make a dramatic play or a board game base on these fables (Kindergarten

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In our school we organize trekking activities. These activities are very relaxing for pupils since they enjoy nature, they make physical exercise, they learn orientation, they read maps, they communicate to each other, they play games and they take lot of pictures!  We don't have  any migrants in our school but I suggest that the idea suits well, because it makes students feeling   beautiful experiences.

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Last year I had an interesting experience with a project about autogenic training and relaxation techniques, that helped many of my students with anxiety issues.
Other activities in the classroom could be:
-painting the classroom walls,
-to write a song all toghether,
-sport activities,
-poetry and drama.

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I would like to try  a theatre activity integrating both cultures of students. In order to help my "regular students" to be prepared to learn together with newly arrived migrants I would encourage them to make a recipe book.

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Maria antonietta Italy

I teach in the primary school; to motivate and involve all the children often adopt teaching strategies such as role-play, flashcards, games; Wordle-cloude, songs, rhymes, poems, drama; maps; paint.These teaching strategies are valid for all children and thus also for children immigrati.This participation in the course motivated me to buy children's books on this subject

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To my students, I will do activities, such as songs or stories in different languages. I'm going to try to work with different cultures in my classroom

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it is important to integrate these students into classroom and the activities presented by Erika are very interesting and can be a good strarting point in order to engage hem into the lessons.

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Erika presents interesting ideas. Activities in the classroom can be - simple songs, stories in pictures, Envision, Jumpido.

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Sing song, for example with simple word and with sound from foreign country (Africa, Morocco,...).
Read a story with image, about someone that leave their home and come i another country (but only image).

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It will be purposeful for my regular students to learn a few words in the language of the refugees to welcome them, such as "hello", "how are you" "come and play", "come and sit with me", etc. I would use painting a lot to break the ice and then body language games to create a common code that would make up for the language barrier.

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Dramas and novels can prepare students to be closed to nam

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It is quite impressive to realize that there is a wide variety of practical activities to welcome refugee children in your school that they can be easily implemented in classroom. Personally, I would choose pantomiming in the beginning since it does not involve a lot of speaking. Then I would try story telling in conjuction with theatrical activities and why not singing and dancing. Computer games sound attractive but I find them somehow lonely activities so I would try them just for a couple of times. Also, really life role-playing, like visiting a local grocery and performing a dialogue, could also have a dramatic effect in refugees' psychological development along with their linguistic competence.

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The idea of video games to learn the language is useful !! Unfortunately the hours devoted to improve migrant student italian are very few and often left to the availability of voluntary or ex-teachers retired.

In my region, the "table" is very important, I like to use the typical cuisine of the regions / countries from where my students are coming as a moment of confrontation on the cultures, When is also possible we are cooking and tasting together

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Here are really interesting and usefull resources !

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With teenagers I like very much proposing" the line game" taken from the film "The freedom writers".

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With teenagers I like very much proposing" the line game" taken from the film "The freedom writers".

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I change the questions and I ask for ex. "How many of you speak two or three languages?"
"Stand on the line if you..."

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I think that a good idea for  creating relationships between refugees and regular students can be painting and drawing. Another way to crea could be playing some games that involvea only students.

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PetCare to school can be an experience experience.
When you were little, the relationship with the pet is an almost magical dimension. The objective is to implement a targeted intervention to the activation of a plurality of functions such as: motor skills, language, memory, behavior, and emotional states, socialization. Through the use of dogs creates a relaxed and reassuring environment that promotes the improvement of the emotional state and that facilitates and implements the ability to relate.

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Kristina, Austria
I've just learned a new game to prepare "regular students" to working with newly arrived migrants.

1. Every student gets a  colored dot on its forehead. They DO NOT see their own color.
2. They are not allowed to talk before or during the exercise.
3. They have to find the other students who have a sticker of the same color without talking.
4. This means, they depend on each others' help.
5. One child does not have a sticker on its forehead.
6. GOAL: Reflect on how they all felt (grateful for the help, weird, because they did not belong to a group, etc.)
7. Let the groups find things they have in common and let them try to persuade the one person without a group to join them. "Join us, because we are really good at learning languages/playing football", etc.
I think this can be a very nice game to foster empathy.

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In the context of the school, it is taking place a project that also involves migrant students in the activity of football sport, but I tried to play in group activities class only a little time, inviting to make creative designs, or dividing into groups to play with rods, also use the computer helps them a lot in both the search for words that do not know that teaching materials. however, encounter difficulties in socialization, because they do not know the language and customs of the country that are home and often are wary. Last year, social workers and psychologist used the therapy music or to sit in a circle and I found it very interesting and engaging.

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If I had newly arrived migrant pupils who could play a musical instrument and regular pupils who could play a musical instrument, I would like to organize a concert, where all pupils (NAM and regular ones) could participate. This would be an opportunity to interact and communicate each other.

In the past, we have sung songs from Albania (as there were migrants pupils from Albania) not only in classroom but also in a school ceremony. We have also analyzed a music video of an Albanian popular song (“Sorke Moj”, by Irini Qijako) in classes with pupils of Albanian origin.

Yesterday in a class of 8-year-old pupils we sung the Greek version of the Christmas song “Silent night”. As I have a pupil of Albanian origin (not newly arrived, born in Greece) I brought him the Albanian version of this song and I asked him if he could read the lyrics and he would like to sing the Albanian version himself. He was fascinated. We sung one verse of the Greek version and one verse of the Albanian version of “Silent night”. I thought that the other pupils could sing a little of the Albanian version but I didn’t do it, as in the local society of this school there are biases for the migrants in general. I told the pupils that the song “Silent night” was sung simultaneously in English and German by troops during the Christmas truce of 1914, during WW1, as it was one Christmas song that soldiers on both sides of the front line knew, so that all the pupils accept to sing the two versions of the song together (I was very much afraid that the other pupils would flatly refuse to listen to the Albanian version of this song).

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I am planning to use  Amnesty International and other organisations resourses
.

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i have a class with students coming from 9 different countries. i organized the day of the languages so everyone was involved. also dialects were taken into consideration. we will also organize a volleyball competition with the different countries represented at school.

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How many ideas in this lesson!
This is my current experience.
I would like to convince a newly arrived migrant girl to live the “nature-school” experience: this experience is a week of outdoor school activities. Students spend a week in a structure away from home and from city and they can see nature, they can trek, etc. They have also a strong experience of relationship with the classmates.

There is a Romanian girl in my class. She is in Italy from 8 months and she speaks Italian quite well. The issue is that she attended only the first class of primary school about six-seven years ago and she has low literacy. I think that the “nature-school” experience can be useful to improve relationship in the class and to develop different competences.

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The ideas Erika proposed are very similar to the ones we are working on for an Erasmus+ Project we have just started with four other countries: Germany, Greece, Poland and Cyprus.
In fact, sports music dance theatre are among the areas we are going to develop with the students to support better integration and inclusion. At the moment we are are especially focusing on the ways we can communicate and express ourselves without using verbal language: body language, drawing, playing, miming.

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The ideas presented on the webinar are interesting and useful. Although I never had the chance to integrate newly arrived migrants, I think that useful activities for this purpose may be:

1)      Athletic activities like football and basketball, especially during the school brake.

2)      Discussions (e.g. using English) about the different cultures and languages, as well as for important persons from the migrant’s country of origin (scientists, doctors, film directors e.tc.).

3)      School  excursions

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Depending on the sts’ age, I would suggest artistic activities or games for the younger ones; for the older sts, I would promote sports activities in which they would have to interact within their teams. Volunteering with older sts would also be highly valuable for their growth as world citizens and would teach them a great lesson about inclusion, tolerance, respect, in dealing with diversity first hand. Older sts could perhaps gather and volunteer for different tasks so that newly arrived sts could feel welcome, integrated, safe and secure within the school grounds and outside.

Sharing meals, an outing to the cinema, theatre or simply hiking together in a park would be beneficial for both parts. Who hasn’t had the experience of tots getting together, connecting and playing without even being able to speak, much less the same language?

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For the inclusion of migrant children in the class are useful sports activities, music and practical activities.

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Everything is really interesting. But teachers need to find means and spaces to play games indoor/outdoor, labs, workshops to activate and fell refugee children welcome in new schools. It is not easy because most of the times we don't get any help from institutions, children are sent to classes without knowing a word of Italian, nothing about our culture and we are addressed as racists if we separate them from Italian pupils in order to give them a basic knowledge of our language. I think that's very silly....and above all I think in this way we don't let them integrate fully.

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'Activities that don’t require verbal or written language are helpful: sports, dance, visual arts, instrumental music'.

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By Meagan Gillmore

Adele Rezai recalls a few girls opening the windows of her classroom saying, "Let's get the air of (those) kids out." It happened quickly, as a class for students learning English was leaving and Rezai was preparing for her next-geography. In the 20 plus years she's taught in Toronto, Rezai calls this one of the worst things she's witnessed.

"My geography lesson in that session changed into talking about human geography," Rezai says. She explained how those comments had "connected the smell with a certain group of students in our school."

For her, it's personal. She and her daughter arrived in Toronto in November 1985. Originally from Iran, they had spent months in a dusty, crowded prisoner of war camp, near the Iraq-Saudi Arabia border. Rezai taught herself English by reading books supplied by the International Red Cross.

She came to Canada with a strong resolve. "I made this commitment and promise to do my best and make it home." In Iran, she'd taught high school. Here, she worked in factories and offices before attending teachers' college and beginning to teach.

She particularly enjoys working with refugees. "I lived this life," she says. "I experienced this life."

Not every teacher has done the same. As thousands of Syrian refugees settle in North America, many teachers may be working with such children for the first time. It can seem overwhelming. Teachers may not even know that a new student is joining their class, let alone familiarize themselves with the conflict their students have escaped. Refugees arrive regularly, but the large numbers coming in a short time make this situation exceptional.

If teaching refugees is an exceptional circumstance, perhaps because it magnifies essential qualities of all good teaching: rediscovering the importance of learning; responding to students' needs appropriately; listening to their stories and exhibiting resilience.

"Teachers need to be reassured that they have a lot of really great skills and knowledge about how to work with students," says Kristiina Montero, an education professor at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, who studies how refugee children learn English.

Effective strategies for teaching refugees work for all students. Everyone benefits from calm, structured environments and regular routines. All new students need a buddy to show them the school and play with them at recess-whether moving across school boards or the globe.

"A safe space for refugee students is a safe space for everybody," explains Montero. "It's not a detriment for anyone else."

Refugee students have undeniably come from situations vastly different from their classmates. They've fled their homes often because of persecution and war. Some have endured gruelling journeys over land and sea, often without clear destinations. Safety is not guaranteed. Some have hidden in jungles or had their homes destroyed. Children have seen their parents shot. Some have been abused, tortured. Resettlement brings additional stress: moving to a new country, learning a new language, meeting new people. They're not just looking for a better life; they've fled for their lives.

Education is key to their future.

"The hope of education is the only way out of poverty or the harm they've experienced," says Jan Stewart, a University of Winnipeg professor and author of Supporting Refugee Children: Strategies for Educators.

It's a hope deferred and disrupted. Students may not have attended school for years. The impact of trauma may create learning difficulties. Nightmares may make them sleepy at school. They could be hyper-vigilant and scared to leave the classroom or withdrawn and silent. Their parents may not be able to help them because they don't understand the language, or are working multiple jobs. The children may be working, too. They may be uncomfortable asking teachers for help. In some countries, teachers are seen primarily as authority figures, not people with whom students can have relationships, says Stewart. Their parents may not be used to interacting with teachers, either.

People often assume all refugees are illiterate. "That's not true," says LeeAnn Brownell, an English as an Additional Language (EAL) teacher in Halifax. "Heaven forbid that something could happen to Halifax and we could become refugees. I'm literate. I'm a professional." Most refugees do have language skills, just not necessarily in English. (Those who have very little language skills, even in their first language, may receive additional supports. Some jurisdictions have specific classes for students in this situation, different from traditional English as an Additional Language settings.)

Support varies. Students may work with an EAL teacher within the classroom for certain periods. They may receive additional instruction outside of the classroom, or a combination of both. But there are still things classroom teachers can do. It's important that students use their first language. This could mean allowing them to write some assignments in their first language. Teachers can translate using Google Translate or ask a student who speaks the same language to help translate. Brownell encourages teachers to hang flags from different countries in the classroom or display signs in various languages. She often encourages students to create signs with months, days of the week, colours, and numbers written in their first language.

Support families outside the classroom. Provide childcare for parent-teacher meetings or allow parents to bring younger children. Ensure families can read information sent home or send English information to someone the family knows who also speaks English.

Every student learns and adjusts differently. Achievement might be a day without crying or holding a pencil properly. Teachers shouldn't worry if students take longer to learn things or assume they need individualized learning plans. "Every aspect of the children's lives are changing, so I think the teachers don't have to be so hard on themselves," says Brownell.

Activities that don't require verbal or written language are helpful: sports, dance, visual arts, instrumental music. Storytelling can bridge linguistic and cultural divides. "We have different cultural ways of telling stories, but everybody tells stories," says Koreen Geres, an EAL teacher in Saskatoon.

Hearing a traumatic story is like holding a burden, says Geres. "If I can just hold that burden for a little while, it would give that student some relief. I can't take it away because what's done is done," she says. "But if I can give them some relief for a little while, maybe they can just have a break, and relax."

Details can "come out of nowhere," says Brownell. Once, when teaching about managing stress, a boy matter-of-factly described his best friend being hit by a tanker while they played soccer. He was confused when Brownell, unexpectedly, became teary-eyed. Students talk about bombs and explosions and "then they just change the topic and settle down to work," she says.

Teachers need to listen, validate a student's experience, and comfort them if they exhibit signs of distress. But teachers aren't therapists. If a student shows considerable distress, teachers need to refer them to trained counsellors. It may be appropriate for a counsellor to ask, 'Did you see someone get shot?' but not for teachers. Don't force students to share.

"It's not always good to have to tell their story," says Stewart. It can re-traumatize students. "We have to respect the fact that some people are very closed and don't want to do that."

Situations shouldn't be sensationalized. "We have to be really careful with our perspective of people who have come from countries where they have conflict," says Stewart, "because in many cases, their stories are of resilience and strength and hope, and they're a lot happier than even a lot of us." Schools need to meaningfully help-not just feel pity.

"They're very resilient. They're strong," Stewart says of refugees. "They probably have more personal skills than you do, so let's stop looking at this as a pity party."

Resettling Syrian refugees will end. Other topics will dominate news and politics. But teachers will still welcome refugees.

"The Syrian refugee media attention is drawing a spotlight on existing practices," says Kimberley Pividor, principal at Toronto's George Webster Elementary School, where a Syrian refugee enrolled in January-and Roma refugees have attended for months.

In some ways, welcoming a refugee child resembles arriving in a new country. People are scared and bewildered. They need to ask for help. Mistakes are made, lessons are learned. It might be a hard job, but teachers love it. Joy is always possible. That resilience makes teachers like their students.

"I was kind of embarrassed about being a refugee when I was younger," says James Nguyen, who came to Canada from Vietnam in 1981. He was six, and learned English quickly. But his Vietnamese name, Lam, left him vulnerable to name-calling such as, lamb chop. Money was tight. "When you don't have much, you just don't miss it," he says. He was confused when classmates suggested Santa Claus didn't give him many gifts because he'd been bad.

Teachers need to be aware of these social pressures, says Nguyen, who quickly recalls those who involved him in sports or explained why name-calling is wrong.

They also need to remind students of hope.

"You may not be proud of it now because kids might make fun of your clothes," Nguyen, who has sponsored refugees, says, "but one day you will be proud of who you are."
Meagan Gillmore is a freelance writer and editor in Toronto, Ontario.

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Welcoming Refugees into Your Classroom - TEACH Magazine

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By Meagan Gillmore Adele Rezai recalls a few girls opening the windows of her classroom saying, "Let's get the air of (those) kids out." It happened quickly, as a class for students learning English was leaving and Rezai was preparing for her next-geography.

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It is clear that games, sports, and art can help very much for integration.

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Sport and music must be excellent activities to involve all students and to promote migrants' integration.

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In my class, I use dancing with GoNoodle as a tool to relax the pupils when they're tressed or too "lively"! Dancing with various music types can create a welcoming atmosphere and bring NAM and "regular" students closer.
Preparatory activities for the pupils would be to read and watch stories about diversity, pretend they all come from different countries and try to find ways to communicate.

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In my school, in Italy, I’ve experienced a clay laboratory activity with both migrant and local students. The goal of this laboratory was the inclusion of foreign students: each Italian student was the tutor of a migrant one, he take care of his activity. Students enjoyed a lot this non formal activity. At the end of this laboratory we organized an exhibition of students’ creations.

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In my humble opinion, you have to be a reassuring human person as a basic rule. You have to smile and remain an educated being every moment of your teaching. Basic human activities can help. Eat something together. Here in Italy pizza&nutella is a very effective relaxing and reassuring tool. Share youtube music with students. Let them listen to your music, listen to theirs. If they play music, let them play. If they dance, let them dance in the aisles. Never be compulsive. Never be obsessed by deadlines. Take your time, let them take theirs.

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In my humble opinion, you have to be a reassuring human person as a basic rule. You have to smile and remain an educated being every moment of your teaching. Basic human activities can help. Eat something together. Here in Italy pizza&nutella is a very effective relaxing and reassuring tool. Share youtube music with students. Let them listen to your music, listen to theirs. If they play music, let them play. If they dance, let them dance in the aisles. Never be compulsive. Never be obsessed by deadlines. Take your time, let them take theirs.

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I think i will make a music activity as choir, singing a song in a common language all together.

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Encourage all pupils to develop intercultural communication (project days, events, exchanges between schools or countries, eTwinning projects).

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Students will improvise Piasa the tetru they will tell about their country. To achieve immigrant students will present scenario vocabulary related to forms of greetings, forms of address. Immigrant students will be able to use traditional clothing from their country of origin.

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The more inclusive activities that I have ever experienced is that of the Theatre Workshop. Last night, for example, 20 students including Italians, Africans, Romanians and Chinese, were a comedy inspired by the theater of Luigi Pirandello!

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I would tell them to make a drawing about their family and the place where they lived. It could be a nice chance to start disussion! Also, they could say what is the meaning of their names. A sport activity would be the best way to help them feel relaxed and communicate better with the rest of the students.
Anyway, thanks for the useful ideas all of you shared...

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Learning and integrating through activity(sports games, singing, etc.) is the most iptimal way to make a new-comer confident that the atmosphere in the classroom is suitable. If it is a group of children of the same age, we need to emphasis that they all have a lot in common and it doesn`t matter what nationality you are. In a process of working or playing in the team most things are done subconcious. It helps to become a part of a certain group or a class. So, I would use these methods of common work

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Learning and integrating through activity(sports games, singing, etc.) is the most iptimal way to make a new-comer confident that the atmosphere in the classroom is suitable. If it is a group of children of the same age, we need to emphasis that they all have a lot in common and it doesn`t matter what nationality you are. In a process of working or playing in the team most things are done subconcious. It helps to become a part of a certain group or a class. So, I would use these methods of common work

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Fantastic recommendations!!! Thank you so much!!!

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How nice to keep pets in classrooms! I think this could be a great bridge for children who feel anxious!
Another good suggest is sport that can join many children without the need to speak a lot and can create a good team spirit.
In my class I use to do the name game and practise cooperative learning.

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I think the mentioned activities (sport, painting, drawing...) are already done during the normal class routine. Maybe we should think about something especial for the first days. One activity for younger children could be to stay all in a circle and each child throw the ball to another mate who catches the ball and says his/her name and then throw the ball to another child.

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An activity that could help students to learn together with newly arrived students in general can be a game.
I sometimes use word-guessing games to build team spirit and better communication amongst groups. One of these games is “the hangman” a word- guessing game. The teacher chooses a word and the students have to guess it  trying to predict  the letters composing it.
Students are divided in small groups and each team chooses a spokesperson who will answer for the group. When a wrong letter is told, the teacher begins to draw the “hangman” on the board. The goal is to guess the word before the “hangman” is totally drawn.
A variation of this game could help “regular students” to be prepared to learn together with newly arrived students: the game could be played in a foreign language. As I teach English as foreign language, the game becomes a funny way to learn new words and synonyms without annoying students.

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even if I agree with Erika's idea about sports activity as a good way to enhance integration, sometimes it’s difficult to involve students in these kind of activities because they are not children. Painting is the only activity i can do with them because I teach in a liceo artistico